Open Trade Key to Stimulus

By Michael R. Czinkota

The United States is preparing the largest economic stimulus measure ever invoked by any nation. The House has already passed one version, and the Senate is now deliberating the package. We know that there is no perfection.

When more than $850 billion is to be allocated, there is bound to be controversy about who gets what. There may even be some inefficiency and waste in the expenditure. After all, we're only human.

But great care needs to be taken not to trigger an avalanche of global protectionism which reduces the effectiveness of economic support.